Callahan Heim shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Callahan, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
As an avid ClassPasser with a packed out work schedule, I try to get my workout in before the sun rises. I wake up around 5:30am monday-thursday to change into my pilates clothes, pack my swim bag, and pack a lunch cooler so I have cold drinks and snacks to last me until dinner. After my 6am workout, I love to grab a quick coconut matcha at Golden Juicery or chai latte at Starbucks prior to teaching 10-12 private swim lessons at my client’s homes.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Callahan Heim, but my students call me Miss Callie. I am the proud owner of SwimPerfect, a swimming lesson business in Palm Beach County, Florida. I teach children and adults the lifelong skill of swimming and saving their own lives in the event of an emergency. My team and I don’t just teach swimming, we empower Palm Beach Families to be more water-safe by advising children and parents on best practices for being in and around water. I’ve been teaching swimming lessons for 10 years in some capacity, and went full time in July 2024 after leaving my corporate job that was no longer serving me. My entrepreneurial itch has always been there – it was just my time to fully lean into it. Since then, I have expanded my team, my territory and my expertise. I am so proud of the rapport I’ve built within the community here in Palm Beach County and beyond.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
When I was only 17-18 years old, my mother was convinced that I was going to be passionate and successful no matter what career I ultimately chose for myself. As somebody who was always just another average student, I felt completely lost in what I wanted to do heading into college. How could my stay-at-home ex-saleswoman mother know what’s best for me if I don’t know what’s best for me? I figured I wanted to help people, but healthcare wasn’t exactly my thing. I started on a psychology track and later switched to marketing since my mom said “you have the charisma for sales”… none of it felt like me but I liked the sound of making uncapped commission. One thing I was always sure was my love for teaching swim lessons, the little job I started at 16 and never stopped doing all throughout college. This was due to my mom’s suggestion to teach private lessons in my Maryland small town. Even though my mom lost her 6 year battle with cancer in 2021, my mom’s encouragement rings in my head daily. On one of her last days in the hospital, I collapsed on her telling her I wanted to make her proud – her response “you already have” provides all the confidence I will ever need in myself. If I had made my mother -the person who believed in me the most- proud of me before I even graduated college, moved to Florida and started my own business I can’t even imagine how proud of me she is now with a sold out swimming roster and instructors under my wing. I’m running a whole business – and it’s booming!
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
I’ve decided to be more picky when it comes to hiring and finding people to represent my brand. I was once too naive and trusting when I hired my first instructors – and it backfired on me entirely. Specifically, an employee that I trusted was attempting to poach my clients and compromised the reputation of my business. This experience changed my entire view of hiring people to represent SwimPerfect. I now am being extra selective when it comes to character, experience, and work ethic and am very proud to have the talent on my team that I do now. I know they love their students as much as me and give my clients the best possible swimming lesson experiences! I deem the bad apples part of the learning process, but do not let them get in the way of all that I’ve built.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
Something I see often online is a one-size-fits-all framework on how to swim or teach your children to swim. The truth is, everybody learns differently. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to learn to swim. Some methods do not work for some children – and that’s okay. I don’t teach every child the same way for this reason. There’s a lot of discourse around swimming milestones and what your child should be able to do at what age and this often includes shaming of parents if children are “behind”. You aren’t a bad parent if your children can’t swim by the age of 2, 3 or even 20! It’s never too late to learn to swim and everybody deserves the opportunity to do so.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
I am one of those obnoxious people who loves their job and never shuts up about it. That’s how I know I’ve made it and this is the best career choice for me. I get to interact with kids all day, watch them overcome big emotions, and teach them skills they will possess for the rest of their lives. It is utterly fulfilling and I don’t take it for granted. I get so excited to ask the students about their days and teach them new life saving skills while simultaneously playing with a rubber ducky…or 20. It’s honestly so much fun and I would do it even if money were out of the equation. I feel all giddy heading to lessons where I know the children are on the brink of a skill breakthrough – like coming up for air solo or floating independently. Any one of my close friends and family can attest that this job is a huge part of my life. I consider myself lucky to have found something that I genuinely love to do and look forward to!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @swimperfect.co
Image Credits
none! all images are mine
